Final answer:
The process that generates messenger RNA from the template strand of DNA is transcription, and the correct answer is D. transcription.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that produces messenger RNA (mRNA) from the template strand of the DNA is known as transcription. During this process, the double helix of DNA unwinds and an enzyme, RNA Polymerase, constructs the mRNA using the DNA as a template.
Uracil (U) pairs with adenine (A) on the DNA strand, rather than thymine (T) as in DNA replication. This key process in protein synthesis takes place in the nucleus of the cell.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is D. transcription.